The holidays are all about traditions at home. Thanksgiving turkeys, big family gatherings, spending the evening hours curled up by the fireplace and stuffing your face with all that food you only get once a year. Tradition is wonderful and the anticipation of spending a traditional holiday at home with the family keeps most of us excited all year long for the holidays. But there certainly is something to say about making new traditions. In a year full of drastic changes, the idea of creating something fresh and new for the holiday season is something virtually everyone can get behind.
Since the holidays tend to revolve around food, here are a few stand out dishes to add a little something "non-traditional" to your holiday gathering.
Bon Appétit.
Entree
Red Snapper a la Casa Marina
The Casa Marina Hotel in Jacksonville Beach serves a whole red snapper as part of their traditional Sunday brunch. Disarmingly simple to make and a tremendous statement maker, this dish would be a welcome change from turkey, ham or heavy pasta dishes traditionally seen on holiday tables.
Red Snapper a la Casa Marina
One 5 to 7 pound whole red snapper, scaled and degilled. Leave on tail and head.
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper seasoning (or any good quality seasoning of your choice for fish preparation)
Gently score the fish long way and cross ways with a sharp knife forming large diamonds. Do not cut through the center bone. Pour or brush the olive oil into the scored crevices on the fish. Season the scored crevices with your choice of spices including garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, lemon pepper or your favorite fish seasoning. Create a large ball of silver foil and stuff into the open base cavity of the snapper so that it will stand up firmly on an oiled cookie sheet. Cook at 325 degrees for 45 minutes; rotate fish then check in another 20 minutes for done-ness.
Serve with your choice of dipping sauce.
Accompaniment
Potato, Carrot and Blue Cheese Gratin
Collage Restaurant in St. Augustine is tucked away in a corner off of St. George street, but the flavors and the quality of food that comes from this tiny gem are incredible with an international flair. Their potato, carrot and blue cheese gratin, generally served with lamb chops keeps patrons coming back over and over again. It’s delicious and a gourmet way to jazz up your holiday side dish offerings
Potato, Carrot and Blue Cheese Gratin a la Collage Restaurant
2 large potatoes
2 large carrots
6 ounces blue cheese crumbles
6 ounces heavy cream
salt and pepper
Thinly slice the potatoes and carrots on a mandolin. Line the bottom of an eight inch baking dish with a layer of potatoes then sprinkle with a little blue cheese. Repeat the process with a layer of carrots, then potatoes again and so on until you run out. Be sure to distribute the blue cheese evenly between each layer. Add a little salt and pepper to every other layer.
Pour the heavy cream on top, cover with foil and bake at 375 to 400 degrees for about an hour. Use a toothpick to test done-ness. Let cool and serve. As a side dish this should serve six to eight.
Holiday Spirit
Poinsettia
It’s not just a beautiful holiday plant, a Poinsettia is a delicious cocktail. It’s light and pretty and simple to put together — it would be a perfect change from the traditional holiday brunch or dessert drinks. Grab one during brunch at the Casa Marina in Jacksonville Beach to test the merchandise.
Poinsettia
6 ounces Champagne
1 ounce Cranberry Juice
Splash of Cointreau
Pour champagne, then cranberry juice into a champagne flute and top off with the splash of Cointreau.
Dessert
Eggnog Semi Freddo with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Brown Sugar Crisp
Azurea at One Ocean is amazing any time of year, and the desserts that come from the kitchen are incredible for both the eyes and the tongue. Enjoy all of the flavors of the holidays with this gem of a dessert (and wow your guests while you’re at it.)
Eggnog Semi freddo with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Brown Sugar Crisp
Makes 4 servings:
Brown Sugar Crisp
Ingredients:
¼ pound melted unsalted butter
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Mix dry ingredients. Then stir in melted butter. Mix until moistened and crumbly. Put this mixture on a baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree oven, stirring once during baking, until the crisp is browned evenly, about 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
¼ pound quality bittersweet chocolate, cut into small cubes
¼ cup heavy cream
Place chocolate cubes into heat proof bowl. Heat cream until it almost boils then pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Set aside at warm room temperature.
Eggnog Semi Freddo
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup dark rum
Heat one cup of the heavy cream with ½ cup of the sugar until hot. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar and the spices together. Add some of the hot cream to the egg mixture and whisk together. Then pour this back in to the pot of hot cream. Stir together and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens a bit but do not let the eggs scramble. Add rum. Strain and chill well. Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream until thick. When the eggnog mixture is completely cooled, fold in the whipped cream and gently mix until combined.
Layer the semi freddo in a large glass bowl or in small cordial glasses beginning with the brown sugar crisp, then the egg nog semi freddo, then the chocolate Ganache. Continue until your container in filled, ending with the brown sugar crisp. Freeze for several hours depending on the size of your serving dish. Garnish with chocolate shavings, cinnamon stick and powdered sugar.
